Method and apparatus for shrinking and drying cloth



4D. GESSN'ER Oct: 4, 1931s.v

. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING AND DRYING CLOTH Filed Nov. 12,1955s 2 :sheets-:smeetv 1 Linkin-4 n'.

Oct. 4, 1938.

D. GEssNvl-:R y A 2,132,156 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR sHRn-IKINGANDDRYING CLOTH l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. l2. 1956 l Il ll' ,IVI

|I||||| lWINI m I Emu Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED- STATESPATENT oFFlc-E'METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHRINKING AND DRYING CLOTH David Gessner,Worcester,

Application November 1 2, 1936, Serial No. 110,477 I 1 Claim.

cloth, and particularly to the shrinking and drying of wool fabricspreparatory to garment cutting. It is well known that cloth finishingoperations, such as shearing, brushing, pressing, etc., tend to stretchand elongate woolen and worsted fabrics to such an extent that carefulshrinkage is necessary afterwards before they can be made into garments.Mere dampening and immediate l0 drying of such fabrics is notsuflicient, as complete shrinkage of them requires a, substantial periodof time. It has been customary in many of the higher classestablishments to moisten the fabric, let it` done with satisfactory4results by methods or4 apparatus previously in use. By the practice ofmy improved method and the use of my improved apparatus,'V`vsubstantially uniform and final shrinkage is attained.

My invention further relates to an' ordered procedure and to denitearrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my improved apparatus, suitable for the carrying outof my improved method, is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, of the left-hand end portion of myimproved shrinking and drying apparatus; and

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of the right-hand endportion of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a pile of cloth C disposedinfolded condition ona truck' I0 by which it maybe convenientlypresented to the apparatus. The cloth .C passes overeguiderolls Il andl2 and is then drawn downward and around guide-rolls- I3, I4 and l5 in asteaming 55 nome may preferably be of the construction device I6. 'I'hecloth then travels upward aroundv v (Cres-issy This invention relates tothe manufacture of s shown in detail in my prior Patent No. 2,017,455,issued October 15, 1935. f y,

The cloth passes from the suction rollv 22 around a 'guide-roll 24 4andsecond driven feed roll 25 and is deposited in a downwardly con- 5tracted chute or so-called sweat-box 26 in which the cloth is closelypacked and folded.-

As the cloth leaves the lower end of the chute or sweat box 26, it isdeposited on a conveyor belt 21 supported on driven rollers 28 and 29which 10 move the cloth, still in folded condition, slowly to the rightas viewed in Fig. 1. A blanket or covering 2l may be removably"supportedabove the conveyor belt 2l.

'rhe'eleth C is then drawn upward past e guide 15 bar 3D and guide-roll3| by a driven feed roll 32 and is then drawn over a spreader roll 33and under an additional spreader roll 34 (Fig. 2) by a driven feed roll35.

The eleth is then deposited en a belt een- 2 veyor 36 by which it iscarried into a drier 40 in which the cloth is transferred to successiveconveyors 4I and is exposedto heated air delivered to the drier by a fan42 through a main air vduct 43 'and branch ducts 44 and 45. 25

'I'he detailed construction of the drier forms no part of my Presentinvention and for a more complete description thereof, reference is madeto my prior Patent No. 1,907,786, issued May 9, 1933.

v'frne dem c is'deuvered from the drier by a 30 bottom conveyor 48 andis preferably deposited in loosely folded condition in a. clothreceptacle 49, from which it is drawn upward over guidebars 50 and 5|and a guide-roll 52 by a driven feed roll 54. It may then` be depositedin folded condition on a truck by a folding device 56.

Suitable driving mechanism is provided, which insures that all parts ofthe apparatus shall operate in a predetermined and desired speedrelation.

For purposes of illustration I have indicated a 40 motor M (Fig. 2)connected by a belt 6U to drive the fan 42, and connected by a worm 6I,worm gear 62, wormv 63, worm gear 64 and bevel gears 65 and 66`to drivea main shaft 61. The shaft 61 is bolt-connected as indicated to drivethe several feed rolls, the conveyor 21, the conveyors 38, 4l and 48 inthe drier 40, and the folding device 58, all at suitable relativespeeds.

As substantial shrinkage of the fabric takes u place in the sweat-box 26and while the dampened cloth is resting under the covering 21a on theconveyor 21, it is desirable that the feed rolls 32 and 35 be driven ata correspondingly slower surface speed, andthe feed roll 54 is driven ata stillslower 65 speed to allow for the additional shrinkage which takesplace in the drier 40.

` The speeds are so arranged that a substantial period of time isconsumed lby the cloth in passing through the box 28 and along theyconveyor 21. This period of time varies for different kinds and weightsof fabric but is usually from thirty to forty-five or sometimes sixtyminutes.

The operation of the apparatus described will be readily understood. Thepreliminary steaming of the cloth facilitates the moistening operation.The combined action of the spray pipe and suction rolleffectivelymoisten all parts of the fabric without excess of water.'I'he packing of the wet cloth in the sweat-box and its slow passagetherethrough and along the conveyor produces a condition which isordinarily' called "sweating", as the temperature of the cloth isdefinitely higher at the point of removal from the conveyor.

During this period in which the cloth is closely packed andcomparatively inactive in the box 26 and on the conveyor 21, themoisture provided by the spray pipe 2| and sucked into the fabric by thesuction roll 22 and nozzle 23 is very evenly dispersed and distributedthroughout the fabric, so that all of the fibers are uniformly moistenedand are exposed to uniform shrinkage conditions.

It is found by actual test that a sixty-yard piece of fabric will shrinkfrom one and a half to one and three quarters yards or more before itleaves the conveyor 21. The subsequent required shrinkage of the clothin the drier I0 is clearly'correspondingly reduced. so that the fullnecessary shrinkage is more easily and quickly accomplished and a morecomplete and satisfactory result is attained.

By the use of my improved method and apparatus I not only substantiallyreduce the time and labor over the previous practice, but I also attainmore complete shrinkage andV more satisfactory and uniform results. Mypresent invention is not to be confused with fulling or milling machinesor with any other machines which compact, felt or shrink fabric beforefinishing operations such as shearing, brushing or pressing areperformed thereon. My presentl invention is designed for the ilnalshrinking of otherwise finished wool and worsted fabrics for immediateuse by cutters or tailors and performs substantially 100% shrinkage ofsaid finished fabric.

By the term moistening as `used in the claim I mean supplying steam orwater to the finished fabric and removing surplus water therefrom tosuch an extent that the moisture left in the fabric as it is deliveredto the sweat box is not substantially more than one-third the weight ofthe clot Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof,I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwisethan as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:-

The method of final shripking of woolen and worsted fabrics after allfinishing operations such as shearing, brushing and pressing have beenperformed thereon, which comprises moistening the cloth, drawing themoisture into the cloth and said cloth in substantially the samemoistened condition and without the addition of moisture leaving notsubstantially more than one-.third by thereto for a further sweatingperiod, and thereafter drying said cloth, all of said steps beingperformed successively and as parts of a continu-

